Serologic study on extracellular matrix metabolism in patients with viral liver cirrhosis

AIM To study the metabolism of extracellular matrix in patients with viral liver cirrhosis and the importance of anti liver fibrosis therapy. METHODS Viral liver cirrhosis patients were divided into two groups according to Child Pugh standard, Child A ( n =103) and Child B+C ( n =166). Serum contents of hyaluronic acid (HA), propeptide of procollagen type Ⅲ (PⅢP), propeptide of procollagen type Ⅳ (PⅣP), laminin (LN), AST, ALT, CG and ICG retention rate (ICG RR) of each person were measured at the same time. Normal subjects ( n =30) were also studied as controls. RESULTS Mean serum content of HA, PⅢP, PⅣP, LN, AST, ALT, CG and ICG RR were all higher in group Child A and group Child B+C than normal controls ( P 0 01). There were no significant differences between group Child A and group Child B+C. Meanwhile serum HA, PⅢP, PⅣP and LN had closely positive correlations with serum AST, ALT, CG and ICG RR, and serum HA, PⅢP, PⅣP and LN decreased when serum ALT, AST, CG and ICG RR recovered after effective treatment. CONCLUSION In some patients with viral liver cirrhosis, fibrogenesis is still progressing, and effective antifibrotic drugs are necessary.